I need to go camping

Dback Jon

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A couple weeks ago I backpacked in the Gila Forest, just over the NM border. Hiked 38 miles over 3 days and 2 nights. Beautiful forest. 2 hours of day 2 and 3 hours of day 3 were spent hiking down a river, crossing it at least 30 times. It had a few nice swimming holes as well. Definitely making it back there in the near future.

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Looks beautiful
 

Mainstreet

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A couple weeks ago I backpacked in the Gila Forest, just over the NM border. Hiked 38 miles over 3 days and 2 nights. Beautiful forest. 2 hours of day 2 and 3 hours of day 3 were spent hiking down a river, crossing it at least 30 times. It had a few nice swimming holes as well. Definitely making it back there in the near future.

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That River looks made for fishing.
 

Bada0Bing

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I've got a 1-person Mier tent. Weights about 2 pounds. My trekking poles double as tent poles, so that saves some weight. My buddy is really into the ultralight stuff. I don't know what kind of tent he has, but his poncho doubles as his rainfly. He prefers a hammock, but I can't sleep on my back so I've never tried it.

Actually saw plenty of fish as we trekked down the river. Some were decent sized.

I'm not sure if you can see in photo #2, but that's the river in the background. We climbed 1200 ft to hike along the ridge and down 1200 ft of switchbacks to the river.
 
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LVG

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Debating heading back to Circleville or to Coconinos for the upcoming holiday weekend.
 

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Debating heading back to Circleville or to Coconinos for the upcoming holiday weekend.

go somewhere remote as hell or you'll feel like you are still in the city lol

I'll probably be at sheeps bridge. No one goes there and its a great spot.
 

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go somewhere remote as hell or you'll feel like you are still in the city lol

I'll probably be at sheeps bridge. No one goes there and its a great spot.

Yeah, it would be dispersed and at least several miles down a craptastic forest road. Weeds the weenies out.
 

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Pine Valley Utah this weekend.

Side note - love the ranger's offices I've talked to when planning my various camping trips. They're a repository of information and open up once they get the impression you know what the hell you're talking about.
 

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Well, that was a trip.

First, I was planning on going up to a little springs that is located about 10 miles down a dirt road. See previous post about weeding the weenies out. But, I got about 6 miles in and found the road unpassable in my Highlander. A wrangler could have made it; the Highlander could not. So I turned around and went to my backup spot in Pine Valley, Utah. Whoops - beyond full. No problem; I have a tertiary spot selected. But, said forest ranger I had talked to on the phone got the area wrong; there was no dispersed camping allowed there.

Crap.

Decided to make for Circleville Mountain yet again (about a two hour drive from my backup spots). Went up, found a nice shaded area, and camped out for a few days. Lots of traffic on the dirt road, but I was far enough off of it to where it didn't really make a difference. Made some kickass campfire chili. Kids had fun in a meadow about a quarter mile away from the camp and was accessible only by trail. Squirrels raided my stash of giant marshmallows, but could only take a few away.

Pictures later. I think I took some.
 
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LVG

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From another thread:

Here I am Laboring. I have a distaste for federal holidays because all the outdoor stuff I like to do every weekend, now everyone is doing it and everything is overcrowded. At least being in the city is cool when the freeways and roads are totally empty though.

I tried driving up north for 4th of july weekend once and got stuck prior to bush highway for 3 hours because of an accident. Ended up going home and unpacking all my camping gear.

Yeah, it's getting crazy out there. You have to go deeper into the woods now. The traffic over the gorge between LV and St. George was nuts (mostly due to construction). I think I sat for over an hour to get a few miles.
 

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From another thread:



Yeah, it's getting crazy out there. You have to go deeper into the woods now. The traffic over the gorge between LV and St. George was nuts (mostly due to construction). I think I sat for over an hour to get a few miles.
yeah

I worked and hung at home. No more holiday camping for me!
 
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Well, that was a trip.

First, I was planning on going up to a little springs that is located about 10 miles down a dirt road. See previous post about weeding the weenies out. But, I got about 6 miles in and found the road unpassable in my Highlander. A wrangler could have made it; the Highlander could not. So I turned around and went to my backup spot in Pine Valley, Utah. Whoops - beyond full. No problem; I have a tertiary spot selected. But, said forest ranger I had talked to on the phone got the area wrong; there was no dispersed camping allowed there.

Crap.

Decided to make for Circleville Mountain yet again (about a two hour drive from my backup spots). Went up, found a nice shaded area, and camped out for a few days. Lots of traffic on the dirt road, but I was far enough off of it to where it didn't really make a difference. Made some kickass campfire chili. Kids had fun in a meadow about a quarter mile away from the camp and was accessible only by trail. Squirrels raided my stash of giant marshmallows, but could only take a few away.

Pictures later. I think I took some.
Now more then ever you need contingency plans. I used to have 1 back up spot. Now I have at least 2 and holiday camping is something I try to avoid. I would rather take a day or two off work for a long weekend trip. Except for the place that I have been to a couple times and from what I can tell is never crowded.

BTW, this is part of what is fueling my desire to go backpacking. I figure on foot you can go where even cars can't. I might be wrong though. Maybe the foot traffic on the trails is even worst. But at least I wont have ATVs tearing down the road by my camp.
 
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BigRedRage

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Now more then ever you need contingency plans. I used to have 1 back up spot. Now I have at least 2 and holiday camping is something I try to avoid. I would rather take a day or two off work for a long weekend trip. Except for the place that I have been to a couple times and from what I can tell is never crowded.

BTW, this is part of what is fueling my desire to go backpacking. I figure on foot you can go where even cars can't. I might be wrong though. Maybe the foot traffic on the trails is even worst. But at least I wont have ATVs tearing down the road by my camp.
in my experience, it makes a huge difference. Most people will drive to the closest spot and stop so the further you drive, the better and if you have to get out and hike a long way, even better.
 

LVG

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BTW, this is part of what is fueling my desire to go backpacking. I figure on foot you can go where even cars can't. I might be wrong though. Maybe the foot traffic on the trails is even worst. But at least I wont have ATVs tearing down the road by my camp.

I think it all depends on the trail. Some trails, from what I've heard, are busy and require permits. Most aren't / don't, and I agree with BRR - the farther you get off the beaten path, the less likely it will be crowded.
 

puckhead

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PHOENIX – The “buy one, get one” camping promotion is back by popular demand, the Maricopa County Park and Recreation Department announced.

Starting Oct. 1 and running through Nov. 10, campers will be able to purchase one night’s stay and get the second night free.

...

The locations where you can take advantage of the promotion are: the Cave Creek Regional Park, McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Usery Mountain Regional Park, and the White Tank Mountain Regional Park.

https://ktar.com/story/2734554/maricopa-county-parks-bring-back-bogo-camping-promotion/
 

BigRedRage

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lol

paying to camp in the desert

I get it when it is at a place you cannot go to otherwise that has a beautiful water oasis or something (supai).
 

puckhead

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lol

paying to camp in the desert

I get it when it is at a place you cannot go to otherwise that has a beautiful water oasis or something (supai).

I don't camp. I just saw it and thought someone might be interested.

*Puckhead is not responsible for the value of the content in the article.
 

BigRedRage

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I don't camp. I just saw it and thought someone might be interested.

*Puckhead is not responsible for the value of the content in the article.
For sure, just being the peanut gallery :)

You should camp! lol
 
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Was thinking about a trip next weekend but since the truck is just getting out of the shop (probably Monday) I am not sure it's a good time to be in the middle of nowhere.

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FINALLY getting outdoors. Had to go to 5 stores Wed to find milk and eggs. (People are idiots) was planning on a 4 day weekend and taking Thursday and Friday off. But we are busy at work so I pushed to Firday and Monday. Now I might have to work Monday.....I need to get out badly to get away from work.

I was thinking of pushing the trip out another week until my electrician (who hasn't been on vacation for 4 years) gave me the advice I gave him. "The company will survive without you for a couple days."

Still not sure where I am going.[emoji16]

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BigRedRage

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FINALLY getting outdoors. Had to go to 5 stores Wed to find milk and eggs. (People are idiots) was planning on a 4 day weekend and taking Thursday and Friday off. But we are busy at work so I pushed to Firday and Monday. Now I might have to work Monday.....I need to get out badly to get away from work.

I was thinking of pushing the trip out another week until my electrician (who hasn't been on vacation for 4 years) gave me the advice I gave him. "The company will survive without you for a couple days."

Still not sure where I am going.[emoji16]

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March 20th social distancing champion

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FINALLY getting outdoors. Had to go to 5 stores Wed to find milk and eggs. (People are idiots) was planning on a 4 day weekend and taking Thursday and Friday off. But we are busy at work so I pushed to Firday and Monday. Now I might have to work Monday.....I need to get out badly to get away from work.

I was thinking of pushing the trip out another week until my electrician (who hasn't been on vacation for 4 years) gave me the advice I gave him. "The company will survive without you for a couple days."

Still not sure where I am going.[emoji16]

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

This reminds me that I need to find an electrician to rewire a cord at work. Four days in the outdoors would be awesome right now.
 
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This reminds me that I need to find an electrician to rewire a cord at work. Four days in the outdoors would be awesome right now.
Ended up going to Aztec Peak...tried to get near the top but the road was impassable by snow. Not just me but the tire tracks I was driving in stopped and I couldn't get any further then the rest.



Doubled back and ended up staying in a spot on Reynolds Creek. Everything was swollen from the recent rain and snow runoff. I only saw a couple of people camping and didn't see a single person once I made camp.

Had almost no cell service....almost. Got a text on Sunday that one of my assistants was sick with fever and chest congestion so I had to load up a day early. That sucked more then I can explain but my boss promised me an extra couple days off next month.

I will say that sleeping in a hammock is some of the best nights sleep I have had camping as an adult. (Sleeping on the ground as a kid isnt a problem)

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